Calvert County officials gather public feedback as Saint Leonard town center master plan begins update

Calvert County planning staff presented early research and survey results and solicited public feedback during a community workshop on the Saint Leonard Town Center master plan update, emphasizing that no decisions would be made at the meeting.

The Department of Planning and Zoning held the meeting to begin a multi-step process to update Chapter 6 of the county's new Master Plan of Town Centers. Jason Brinkley, director of Planning and Zoning, told attendees, "there's no decisions made tonight," and staff reviewed demographic data, zoning maps, a public survey and next steps. Staff said chapters 1 through 3 of the consolidated master plan are nearly adopted and that Saint Leonard's plan will be Chapter 6.

Staff framed why the update matters: the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey estimates the Saint Leonard census-designated place population at 562 people; the town center itself covers about 335 acres and contains 177 parcels. Tay Harris, the department's long-range planner, reported that 488 people completed the county's online survey and summarized responses: common draws were restaurants, local retail and the town's small-community atmosphere; top concerns included limited retail, infrastructure constraints (notably lack of public sewer and…